Police yesterday announced the arrest of two men suspected of shooting four men dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Chian Yai district last Sunday
Kollawat Sukraksa, right, and Kraiwit Sakuna, left, suspected of killing four men in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Chian Yai district earlier this week, are brought to a press briefing at the Royal Thai Police Office yesterday. Kosol Nakachol
The suspects were brought before reporters at a press conference at the Royal Thai Police Office in Bangkok yesterday.
They allegedly told police the murders were a result of disputes over bidding for construction projects in Pak Phanang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat, and illegal activities that included the extorting of businessmen.
The two suspects were named as Kollawat Sukraksa, 45, and Kraiwit Sakuna, 23. Another suspect, Yongyuth Kongchim, is still at large.
The arrested pair were apprehended on Wednesday. Mr Kollawat was captured in Bangkok's Min Buri district. Information he provided led to the arrest of Mr Kraiwit in Phetchaburi province.
Royal Thai Police chief Pol Gen Somyot Pumpunmuang said Mr Kollawat was on the most wanted list of Provincial Police Region 9, which covers the southern provinces of Phatthalung, Songkhla, Satun and Trang.
A police source said the suspects confessed to luring the victims to Ban Don Tanot School in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Chian Yai district on the pretext of trying to resolve a construction bidding dispute.
The assailants waited for the victims to arrive before driving up to them in a pickup truck and opening fire on the four men.
The suspects later hid the pickup at a house in nearby Muang district.
Police also confiscated an M16 assault rifle, 9mm and 11mm handguns, ammunition and the Isuzu pickup which investigators said were used in the crime.
The victims' bodies were found later on Sunday morning peppered with bullets.
Three of the victims were identified as Kriengkrai Chumthong, 47, of Nakhon Si Thammarat's Cha-uat district, Somchai Homkhao, from Phatthalung province, and Thawat Buathongkham, from Pak Phanang district in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Two victims were found handcuffed to a pickup truck. Nakhon Si Thammarat police believe Mr Kriengkrai is a hired gunman who killed the wife of the Khao Chumthong municipality mayor two years ago.